On my Caveman Car I am trying to re-attach the Ground wire that goes to the Point Plate. If this becomes problematic can I swap the Distributor for a 1962 style?
I believe that is when the change was made?

It was running great it was just time to replace the Points. They had 13,000 Miles on them and were somewhat burned.

Any Tips for re-attaching the Wire? I noticed there are Two tabs on the Point Plate attaching Area?

Originally, the ground lead was spot welded to the points plate and a screw holds the lead to the distributor body. You could drill both and attach the ground lead to the point's plate with a small screw or nut and bolt.

Yes, you can use a '62 distributor as long as it's from a similar horsepower engine and transmission, for example both are 80 hp automatic.

The '62-9 distributor grounds the points plate with a hairpin spring which is pretty reliable but not as reliable as the '60 style ground lead. Some people actually modify the '62-9 style by adding a ground lead.

Craig N. Coeur d'Alene ID.
66 Black Monza 4dr, 4.2L V8 49k
61 Seamist Jade Rampside 140 PG
65 Canadian Monza 4dr 110/PG 40k
66 Sprint Corsa convt - First car! Re-purchased 43 years later
2+2 gnatsuM 5691

+17 Tons of parts

Just solder the ground lead to the steel plate. Clean the spot shiny, use rosin core flux solder. A 100 watt soldering iron is nice, but the standard Weller 8200 gun works fine.

If the wire gets too short, take the braid from some coax and use it. It is nice and flexible. A little bit of heat shrink over it if it looks like it will touch where it shouldn't. Not electrical tape, as that will unravel at the worst time with the heat of the engine.

Frank DuVal

Fredericksburg, VA

thank you Frank, I will try soldering. My Weller won't melt Solder so I will borrow a good soldering iron and try it.

Be sure to get rosin core solder (not the acid stuff for plumbing). I would avoid the "no lead" formulations also as they don't melt as well--you can still get 60/40 if you shop around, easiest to work with.

David Malcolm
1969 Monza PG Coupe
NJ near the Meadowlands

[www.amazon.com]

This stuff works really good for that sort of thing although that is not its original intent. Very easy to solder. I use it on my LM distributor to ensure a good ground.

J.O.

65 Corsa Turbo Vert
79 Honda XL 500S
69 Honda CL 160 D
2010 BMW F 650 GS
2003 Bounder 36D
2013 KIA Optima SX turbo-AKA ZIPPY (wife,s car)
69 Newport Holiday Sailboat
Baja 150 dune buggy cart
Coleman HS 500 UTV
2016 KIA Sorento SXL Turbo

Bethlehem,Pa

Thank You Frank, the help on this site is the best.

I do not have any spare Coax so I am on the hunt for some braided wire.
And keep the 1960 Distributor. The Dwell I steady.

What was in the Dizzy before was insulated wire to the Point Plate and was so old the insulation fractured when I removed it after the solder joint failed and I think It was preventing any Vacuum Advance?

Was that why my mileage was so low?

I usually set the Timing with my PG so it does not ping. I have not used a Timing Light for a while. I think I need to use a Timing Light now to get a Base Line. For the 1960 PG car I have read that it should be 13 Degrees BTDC and have also read 16 Degrees BTDC in another publication. The timing marks that are cast into the Engine stops at 8 Degrees BTDC. so I scribed a line to approximate 13 Degrees. I always run Premium Gas even though it is a Low Compression Engine. Manual Transmission Timing is 4 Degrees BTDC?.
When operating My Car with the PG and shifting from Neutral to Drive is at least a 150 RPM Drop in my experience. 18 Inches of Vacuum in Neutral to 10 or 11 in Drive.


working in a carport and progress is slow. My Car is Registered as Salvage since 1988 after I received it from a friend in 1987 who had too many projects. Rebuilt the Engine Twice.And Balanced the new Pistons to within 0.5. Gram the first time. The second rebuild was after the Crankshaft broke and I re used the pistons and plastigauged at that time all new Bearings with a reground Isky 20 20 Cam.

Any more advice would be greatly appreciated.

jjohnsonjo, I will get some of that braided wire and try it.

I made up a piece of 20 Gauge wire but I am abandoning that idea
because the wire I removed had such brittle insulation that I think it was preventing and Vacuum Advance,

thank you.

Yes, stiff insulation will hinder travel.

Solder Wick is braid filled with flux, so it does solder easy (original use is to remove solder by wicking it up). You might want to run the finished connection under water to remove the excess flux. Or maybe alcohol.

J.O what do you use, anything to wash the flux out, or that brand is not too heavy on flux?

Edit:
I just read the description on Amazon and it does not mention any flux in the braid, so that would be perfect!

Frank DuVal

Fredericksburg, VA



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 11/11/2022 09:26AM by Frank DuVal.

I never noticed any flux bubbling , seems like it just super clean very fine wire, sucks up solder like a sponge.

J.O.

65 Corsa Turbo Vert
79 Honda XL 500S
69 Honda CL 160 D
2010 BMW F 650 GS
2003 Bounder 36D
2013 KIA Optima SX turbo-AKA ZIPPY (wife,s car)
69 Newport Holiday Sailboat
Baja 150 dune buggy cart
Coleman HS 500 UTV
2016 KIA Sorento SXL Turbo

Bethlehem,Pa

I got some solderwick from my FLHS. Next, I crimped the Braid to a Lug for the attachment to the Housing then soldered the Braid down to the point plate with (40% 60%) solder and she runs. Cleaned the area with Alcohol before soldering.
Dwell is currently at 29 Degrees and less than 1 Degree variation from Idle to Higher RPM. Dizzy seems OK.

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Frank DuVal

Fredericksburg, VA



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 11/13/2022 09:17AM by Frank DuVal.

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